Zell and Selphie
by Saikia
Summary: Completed 6 months after the Sorceress Battle, peace returns to Balamb, but something seems to be bothering Zell. He cannot decide which seems worse: That his ally and friend is missing or his inner feelings toward Selphie.
1. ChickenWuss Chickens Out

(Disclaimer: This is my second story and I've had it forever. I thought I might as well put it onto fanfiction. I gave the first chapter to my English teacher as an assignment and got a 100 on it, so it must be pretty good cause I sucked in that class. Muwhaha. Anyways, hope you enjoy it.)  
  
Chicken-Wuss Chickens Out  
  
Back at Balamb again. It had been six months after defeating Ultimacia. Everything had returned at peace again, and everyone seemed happy enough, but Zell felt a tug in his heart that something was wrong. There was indeed something wrong. How could he tell Selphie? Break her of her spirit?  
  
Rinoa had left from Timber the previous week and had not been heard from since. She returned to the Sorceress Memorial in Esthar to check and make sure she was rid of her sorceress powers. She knew they could not be completely rid of her powers, but hoped she could not become posessed again. She couldn't stand the thought of hurting anyone again, emotionally or physically, and she knew they did not want to harm her again. She almost lost Squall, almost lost herself...  
  
But she had been gone a week. Yes, Esthar was a far journey, but perhaps there were delays.  
  
Zell knew. He was told the news. Quistis had informed him that Rinoa had not arrived in Esthar. Could it have been kidnapping, murder? That were the assumptions Zell took, but even worse, he feared she had become posessed again and from that point, anything could have happened.  
  
Selphie stood in the Quad. She was staring out at the ocean, her curls in the breeze. She was watching a school of dolphins in the distance hopping the waves. She was delighted and smiling. She rarely saw any dolphins, or much life for that matter. She usually only spotted fiends on the plains.   
  
Zell felt a knot in his throat. Tell Selphie that Rinoa, her best friend, was missing? Perhaps, since Selphie was so optimistic, she was tend to take the news and make good of it, but how can she make good of someone missing? She'd probably say something like "Don't worry about it so much. There had to have been a delay. I'm sure Rinny is fine and dandy," so he went for it. He descended the stairs and appeared before her. She turned to him.  
  
"Hi, Zell! I haven't seen you around all day. During lunchtime, we had hotdogs, and you weren't there, but I saved you one."   
  
She handed him the warm hotdog, wrapped in paper. He looked down at it and merely took it, a smile returning to his face, but she still suspected something was wrong.  
  
"If you didn't go to lunch with a big grin on your face, then something must be wrong," she informed him, looking right through him.  
  
He couldn't tell her now. She'd be so heartbroken. She'd expect bad news, sure, but not this bad. He looked down at the hotdog, and peeled back the paper, and began eating it. It was turning a little cold, but it was still good. She had even prepared it with his favorite toppings: mustard, ketchup, onions, relish, BBQ sauce, all the fixings. He finished it down in a few bites, and smiled at her. He was feeling better now, and hope she could see through his disguise. He could tell her later.  
  
"I guess maybe I was hungry. I did miss lunch, after all," he told her. She was fooled.  
  
"Did I do a good job?" She asked.  
  
He nodded. "Thanks, Selphie. I just have something on my mind," he slipped out. He held a hand to his mouth to keep from saying more.  
  
She giggled. "I knew something was wrong. The hyperactive Zell in a bad mood? Maybe if Seifer was bugging you, but you and Seifer are beginning to get along. There aren't many people who bother you anymore. Well, maybe Reichi, the library girl."  
  
Zell rolled his eyes. Selphie laughed. "Well," she began, "if anything is wrong, just tell me, okay? You can tell me anything."  
  
I'm not so sure about that, Zell thought. "Okay," he lied. "Thanks for the hotdog. I'll see you later."   
  
He waved goodbye, as did she. He left the school and walked to the fountain before the parking lot, beyond the school stairs. He sat at the edge of the fountain, and stared into the water. It was going to be even more difficult telling Selphie about Rinoa, because each day, he began to like Selphie more and more..  
  
(Aren't I evil, ending it so fast? Well, unless you don't like it, then I am =D but I really do hope you like it so far. This is actually much more detailed than the one I gave to my teacher, but I hope my writing is getting better, cause in English this last year, I had a 96 average, and I feel special, but I hope my teacher didn't just give that to me. Here I am, rambling away. Send me your opinions and ideas, kay? And read my story, Elevator Crisis, while you're at it, cause I said so =P) 


	2. Thoughts in Mind

(Disclaimer: Another chapter. Actually, when I said earlier that you would have to wait, I'm writing this right after that one, but you didn't know (?) Yes, this disclaimer is very random. Anyways, on with the show)  
  
Thoughts in Mind  
  
Zell peered into the water at the fountain, at his own reflection. He was unaware for a few seconds that the bell had rung. Lunchtime must have been over. During the whole time, he could have been woofing down hotdogs, but hotdogs weren't merely as important as his feelings, or were his feelings toward Selphie just silly and out of reach?  
  
Come to think of it, they seemed that way. He remembered back to the prison in the desert, when they tried to escape. He was confirming if the machine drill worked. He remembered Selphie's "Hiya Zell, loud and clear!" She was always so optimistic. In that bad situation, he found light. He was just delighted to have her as a friend at that moment.  
  
But now he wanted her as something more. It seemed so silly, but didn't they seem the least bit right for each other? They both seemed happy and..well, he couldn't say calm. He seemed to lose his cool in a bad situation, but then Selphie would come make it better. They were both hyper, silly..but he still couldn't say much for her, but why couldn't he? He had known her all his life! She cheered him up at the orphanage when Seifer picked at him. When he cried. When Zell tried to prevent them from setting off the fireworks on the shore, he was caught with the matches. Selphie told Matron that she gave him the matches, that she intended to set them off. She was always there for him.  
  
Now he needed to be there for her. He was the one that had to break the bad news, but if he didn't, she would be disappointed because he didn't tell her when she found out later from Quistis or anyone. Who knows? Maybe she'd give him a hug for reassurance. How he would love to be embraced by Selphie!  
  
He stood, and shook the thoughts from his head. He was thinking all these things after the bell had rung. He had only three minutes to flee up the stairs and to the second level to homeroom.   
  
He sprinted up the stairs and squeezed past a group of girls that were standing there, chatting away. He sprinted past the gates and up another flight of stairs. He stopped to catch his breath and missed the elevator. He waited. One minute until the bell.   
  
Come on, he cursed under his breath at the elevator.  
  
The elevator came, and he took it to the second floor. As he ran down the hall, he bumped into someone around the corner. It was Selphie, and the impact of her weight resulted in her falling on top of him. His face began to turn red. She opened her eyes and gasped.  
  
"Zell, I'm soo sorry!" She stood up and offered him a hand. If she was only aware of how close her face was to his. Her face was a bit flushed too.   
  
They rushed for the classroom. Selphie got in by the bell, but Zell walked in a few seconds late, still out of breath. Quistis looked to him.  
  
"Zell, I'm afraid I'm going to have to give you detention. This is the second time this week you've been late."  
  
By this time, everyone was looking at him. His face was already red, and now it seemed to glow. Selphie stood from her seat.  
  
"Quistis--"  
  
Quistis looked to her. "Remember, Selphie. I was allowed instructor again by Cid, so you must call me instructor."  
  
"Instructor Trepe," she corrected, "I ran into Zell and caused him to be late, so it's my fault."  
  
Quistis thought for a second, then told her "Well, if you caused him to be late, then you will have detention, but he was, however, still late. I'm going to have to give you both detention."  
  
Selphie sat, feeling defeated, and looked to Zell, who sat behind her and shrugged. He felt low for having a girl stand up for him, but his spirits were lifted, seeing it was Selphie who helped him. During homeroom, he couldn't help but stare at the back of her head the whole time. 


	3. The Note

(Disclaimer: Yes, I'm writing this one in the same day too, but I'm afraid I'll have to let off until a little while because my sister and her friend want the computer cause I've been on a few hours writing stuff and inserting chapters. They're going nuts, and I wish I had charter cause this thing is so slow, but at least my grandparents aren't home, so I don't have a limit on it =D Muwhaha. Hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope you're enjoying the others. If you have any complaints or suggestions, send them to me and I'll see what I can do. Thanks.)  
  
The Note  
  
The bell rang and everyone exited the classroom. Everyone except for Selphie, Zell, and Seifer. Seifer still continued to cause trouble, even after the Sorceress Battle. He didn't bother Zell like he used to, however. He was poking around at his desk online. Quistis wasn't in the classroom with them. She had secured a timed lock on the door for when detention would be over. Of course, she couldn't watch and see what they were doing, but at least they couldn't leave.  
  
Selphie was also at her desk, poking around online. She was checking her school diary and updating it, as well as checking the reviews to see how popular it was. Zell just sat behind her, unable to see her face, and wanting to, but being afraid he'd break out blushing if she were to mention the hallway scene.   
  
He switched on the computer from his desk. He thought of sending Selphie an email. Say, he thought, maybe I can tell her about Rinoa through this email.   
  
He waited for the system to load. He opened up "Write an email" and began typing:  
  
Zell: Hey Selphie  
  
This was all he wrote. He sent it to check and see if she would get it. Within a few seconds, she turned back to him, and smiled.  
  
He felt as though he would melt like a puddle when she smiled. He stared down at the computer and received an email from her:  
  
Selphie: Hey Zell! Sorry I made you get detention.  
  
Zell: It wasn't your fault. I bumped into you, and you didn't know I was going to be there. Thanks for trying to take up for me.  
  
Selphie: It was no problem. I've always helped you out. That's what friends do, right?  
  
Zell: Yeah, I would definetly agree--  
  
He stopped short, then typed:  
  
Zell: --that we're more than just friends.  
  
Selphie: Best friends, right?  
  
Zell: You can say that.  
  
Selphie: Is there something you want to tell me, Zell?  
  
His heart was pounding. Yes, he wanted to tell her about Rinoa, but more importantly, he wanted to tell her how he felt about her.  
  
Zell: Yeah, I wanted to tell you--  
  
He noticed Seifer's breathing on the back of his neck.   
  
"What'cha writing, chicken-wuss? Love notes?"  
  
Zell looked back to Seifer and felt like punching him square in the nose, but told him in a loud tone "It's none of your business."  
  
Seifer backed down, and returned to his desk on the other side of the room. "Sorry about that," he mumbled. Zell returned to typing.  
  
Zell: Meet me in front of the fountain after school, alright?  
  
Selphie: Sure. I'll see you then.  
  
The bell rang, and the timed lock on the door unlocked. The door swung open, and Selphie grabbed her stuff and walked out after giving a short smile to Zell. Zell walked out after Seifer, who gave him a playful punch on the arm.   
  
"Nice choice," he said, and walked off.   
  
"Whoo boy," Zell said quietly to himself.  
  
(Finally. That was longer than I expected. Now I had better wait and type some more later cause my sister wants the computer so badly. Oh well. I'll write another chapter later!) 


	4. Breaking The News

Okay, I'm going to try this again. I tried typing from another computer and failed because the internet messed up, so here's what I was going to type:  
  
(Disclaimer: I've began writing again from another computer, and I probably shouldn't try and cram so much into one day, but I'm really excited about typing this because I've never been this detailed with the story before and I'm doing a few things that are really different and the story is going well. Hope you're enjoying it so far.)  
  
Breaking the News  
  
Selphie had ran off to another location, and Zell tried tracking her down. He wasn't sure why he couldn't wait for her by the fountain. He thought perhaps he'd chicken out again. He checked for her in the Quad and Cafeteria, but she wasn't at either. She was in the process of getting a dorm room, so she wasn't at the Dormatories. He was hoping she wasn't at the Training Center. She was a great healer, but lacked in fighting. He decided to give up and headed for the fountain.  
  
He descended the stairs and walked past the gate. The Gatekeeper stopped him.  
  
"Hey, Zell. Selphie walked by here and said she was looking for you, but you hadn't shown up yet. Not sure what it's all about, though."  
  
"Thanks, Marcus," Zell replied.  
  
"So," Marcus started, his curiousity high, "Why are you going to see Selphie? Got a hot date with her?"  
  
Zell calmly told him "I need to tell her something important."  
  
"'Important,' I understand." Marcus laughed a little, but Zell didn't.  
  
"This is something serious, Marcus. Rinoa has gone missing."  
  
Marcus stopped laughing. He used to have a crush on Rinoa. "Rinoa Heartilly?"  
  
Zell nodded. "Yeah. I have to tell her because Rinoa's her best friend."  
  
Zell proceeded through the gates. Marcus didn't say another word. He descended the steps and stood by the fountain. He looked around, but didn't see Selphie anywhere.  
  
"Where is she?" He said aloud to himself. He sat by the fountain, staring up at the sky. "I hope she didn't forget me and ran off somewhere. Maybe I took too long to get here and she figured I wouldn't come."  
  
He stood from the fountain and turned around, running into her again. "Aww, you're no fun. I was gonna scare you."  
  
Zell held a hand to his heart, an obvious sign that she had accomplished her mission. "You did a good job. I was afraid you weren't going to come."  
  
She smiled. "Come on, Zell, you know me better than that."  
  
He frowned a bit. "I guess I should." He sat down at the fountain, and she did the same, sitting beside him. There was an awkward silence, then she said:  
  
"So, what did you want to ask me?"  
  
"Well, it's kinda hard to say.."  
  
"Well, if you get it off of your chest, then you'll feel a whole lot better about it. Is it something concerning you?"  
  
"Myself? Well, that's a completly different thought."  
  
"Ahh, so you have two things you wanna tell me."  
  
"I don't exactly wanna tell one of them. The other, I don't want to tell just yet."  
  
"Well, say what you need to." She smiled, trying to keep from figetting, for she was getting impatient and wanted to know what he had to say.  
  
"Well," he started, " It's about Rinoa. You know she left for Timber earlier, right?"  
  
"Yeah, and she's been gone a week. She's taking an awfully long time, isn't she?"  
  
"Are you worried?"  
  
"Mm..not really. I believe Rinny will be fine. She's been through a lot."  
  
"Well, what if she was..missing?"  
  
"Missing? I don't know why you have to be so worried about that, unless.." She paused, then started laughing.  
  
Zell looked at her, confused. "What's so funny?"  
  
Selphie smirked. "Do you have a crush on her, Zell?"  
  
Zell quickly frowned, and shook his head. "No, no, not that. Besides, even if I did, she's Squall's girlfriend."  
  
He thought of Squall. Him being Rinoa's boyfriend hadn't even crossed his mind. Telling Selphie was going to be hard enough. What if he had to break the news to Squall?  
  
"Selphie," Zell started, "Rinoa is missing. Quistis says she hasn't arrived in Esthar."  
  
Selphie's smile began to fade. "How does she know?"  
  
Zell scratched his head. "Not sure. I overheard her in the Teacher's Lounge."  
  
Selphie's smile returned. "Then maybe you heard wrong, or maybe something happened that prevented Rinny from getting there. Everything's gonna be fine and dandy, Zell. Don't worry about it."  
  
"I guess, but it still worries me. What if she was gone for another week? Would you believe me then?"  
  
"Well, it would seem more possible. If you want to file a missing person's report, we could."  
  
"I think Esthar would have taken care of that if she didn't show up."  
  
Selphie smiled. "See? You have nothing to worry about."  
  
There was a long pause, then Selphie said:  
  
"So, what's this other thing you wanted to tell me about?"  
  
As Zell opened his mouth, Irvine snuck up behind Selphie and tapped her on the back. Zell screamed when Selphie let out a high-pitched squeel. Zell looked to Selphie, gesturing her to remain where she was, and he stood. He walked Irvine back a few feet, when whispered loudly in his ear:  
  
"What do you think you're doing?! I'm trying to tell her something really important here!"  
  
Irvine shrugged. "Sorry. I was just kidding around. I hasn't seen her all day, so it was my time to kid around with her."  
  
Zell bit his lip, surpressing his anger. Zell and Irvine were still having conflicts with each other, even after the Sorceress battle. "Well," Zell said, "I was talking to her, so butt out!"  
  
Selphie stood from the fountain. "Zell, don't be so angry." She looked down at her wrist. "I have to be at a meeting now, anyways."  
  
She walked in between them, and headed for the stairs. "I'll talk to you later, Zell. I don't wanna be late." Then she ran off. Irvine left Zell to go catch up with Selphie. Zell remained by the fountain, and splashed his face with cool water to calm himself down. He stared at his reflection.  
  
Don't be angry, he thought. You can tell her later. It'll take some time.  
  
Wow, that's really long when you have to type IT ALL OVER AGAIN O.O but I hoped you liked it cause it was really long to type AGAIN. I may not be typing for a long while, so just be patient. (Whoa, didn't know it was over 1000 words ..good thing I type like..80 WPM) 


	5. Making Arrangements

(Disclaimer: This may be the only chapter I write today. I'm still waiting for reviews, but I know it takes at least 24 hours for them to come in. I've had too much trouble with computers this week, so I don't want to type too much and end up typing it again cause my last chapter was, by far, the longest thus far. Anyways, continuing on.)  
  
Making Arrangements  
  
Although Selphie had been staying at Balamb for several months, she hadn't been given permanent arrangements. After the Garden Festival meeting, Selphie left from the Quad and headed for Cid's office. Zell quickly caught up with her to back her up. Cid told her that the arrangements could not be made until the next day, for the annual SeeD ball was underway. He asked her to return the afternoon before the ball.  
  
Zell had forgotten about the SeeD ball. He figured a lot of people had. SeeD's were to fight and protect against any threat. Student officers. But what threat was there? There was peace now, or so it seemed. He wondered if within a few days, he and a few others would be sent on a mission to find Rinoa.  
  
Rinoa..Squall. He thought of the SeeD ball. How would Squall react if Rinoa hadn't returned the following evening at the ball? The ball was to take place for the SeeD's that had returned from various parts of the world, who had fought against any threats. They would return home the next day to celebrate any and every victory with their peers. What if he expected Rinoa to return with the SeeD's and she didn't? He would be heartbroken..  
  
This ball, however, would be different from the previous year, based on dress. The SeeD uniforms previously had been assigned to all students. This year, the students could wear what they wished, as long as it followed school dress code and was formal.  
  
Selphie had left from the school to the town of Balamb. Zell followed her, saying he needed to visit his parents. His mother was ill, afterall. Selphie had gone by the store and returned with a large box, wrapped in red paper. Zell tried peeking at it a few times, but failed. What would she have in such a large box?  
  
They returned to the school, and already, members of the Garden Festival had began decorating. The Cafeteria was off limits that afternoon to prepare the food, then to be stored. Students that wished to eat could walk to Balalmb and dine. It was only a 100 yard walk. Otherwise, things seemed normal, besides the other members of the Commitee that stayed in the Quad and decided on the music.   
  
Zell didn't have anything formal to wear. He figured he could wear his SeeD uniform again. It felt heavy and was a tad itchy, but it was better than showing up in shorts, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes, then being thrown out. He remained by the steps at the Quad, trying to listen to what Selphie was telling the others. She laughed at some points, but he couldn't catch onto exactly what.  
  
"It's kinda thin, but it's really pretty. It's baby blue, and cut like a diamond down the center," he heard Selphie say. What was she talking about? The girls were standing about, listening to her intently, while the boys stood away from them by the cliff edge, talking about their own conversations.  
  
Zell didn't bother to stay around for a while, and left the Quad, heading for the Gymnasium. Rajjin was practicing boxing at the other side of the weightroom, pounding at a sandbag. Fujjin was at the other side, holding the bag for her brother, hoping she wouldn't be hit. Seifer sat across from them on the floor, watching Fujjin. She would glance back at him and smile once in a while.  
  
Zell stood at another sandbag. He saw his own reflection somehow through the opaque bag. He saw his weakness, the one that wouldn't allow himself to tell Selphie how he felt. He became angry, and sent a massive blow to the bag. It cut it. There was a hollow "pow" that came from the bag after he punched it, and sand began to leak from it. Fujjin, Rajjin, and Seifer looked to him. They were silent.   
  
He looked at his hand. The knuckles had been mashed in, and three of them were bleeding. Had he really took such a force to the bag? He couldn't remember any other time he had been so angry. Even when he fought Ultimacia, he hadn't been that angry. He was frightened that he almost lost Selphie to Ultimacia, however. Selphie had a rare ability to heal them during battle. She had taken a poisoned blow to the neck by Griever's claws. If it hadn't been for Rinoa's healing powers as well, she may not have been..  
  
Rinoa. He knew he had to find her soon. He needed to repay her for helping Selphie. Selphie could have been gone so fast without her help.   
  
He looked up. Seifer was standing before him now, and wrapped a bandage around his hand that he found from a first-aid kit. Zell didn't say anything, and after the bandage was applied, he merely nodded to Seifer, and left. How could he let so much anger out? If he could let that much anger out on himself, it was possible that he may end up killing himself.  
  
He shook his head. He was impatient, loud, and sometimes obnoxious, but he did have some self control. He had to control himself. He couldn't ever let himself become angry with anyone, especially with Selphie if he had any chance to be with her.  
  
The rest of the evening, he laid in his bed, in his room at the Dormatories, staring up at the ceiling, trying to calm down, but still feeling a loathing hatred in his heart.  
  
(Yeah, kinda boring, but I have a huge writer's block right now that I'm trying to fix. I wasn't sure what was gonna happen here, but it'll get better. I just got temporarily stuck. Hope this chapter didn't completly suck .') 


	6. A New Mission

(Disclaimer: Whew, I think I'm outta my writer's block. I just couldn't exactly decide on what to write for the last chapter. Hope tha doesn't happen again oo)  
  
A New Mission  
  
Zell opened his eyes and looked at his clock. 5:23 A.M. He had been waking frequently, in the middle of the night, so angry that he felt he could punch a hole through the wall and hit the kid next door in the face and send him into a coma. He clenched his hands to the sheets, trying to stay calm.   
  
He then thought of Rinoa again. He had to go find her. She was a friend, an ally, and he owed much to her, and Squall needed her as well. He got out of bed, and noticed he had on his previous clothes from the day before. He didn't care. He closed the door quietly behind him on his way out. He couldn't wake Squall or Quistis. He didn't want either of them to know about his plans, and most likely, Quistis would report him.  
  
He walked down the halls a ways, and knocked on Dorm room #26: Irvine's room. He knocked louder when he got no answer, and Irvine eventually opened the door. He was wearing a long white t-shirt and boxers with skimpy-dressed cowgirls on them. Zell looked at him and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What is it? It's so early," Irvine said.  
  
"Get your pants on, fool," Zell told him. "We have to get to Timber."  
  
Irvine yawned. "Why?"  
  
"Because Rinoa is missing. Didn't you know?"  
  
Irvine stopped yawning. "No one told me. Is this some kind of joke?"  
  
"No, this isn't a joke! I wouldn't wake up this early to tell you this. Rinoa never made it to Esthar, and we have to go find her."  
  
Irvine looked at him oddly. "Why didn't you tell me yesterday? The SeeD ball is this evening."  
  
Zell was getting impatient with him. "Look, I had a busy day yesterday. If the SeeD ball is this evening and Rinoa isn't there, Squall is going to freak, not to mention she owes me one."  
  
Irvine was quiet for a moment, then said "Hang on a second," and closed the door. He walked out within a minute dressed in his beige jeans, blue muscle shirt, and beige trench coat. "Let's go get Squall."  
  
Zell shook his head. "No, we can't. He's expecting her back this evening, but I don't think she's going to show. It'll be a surprise. We can't tell Quistis, either, because she'd never allow it. I was considering Seifer, but I wouldn't try waking him up this early."  
  
"So there's only Selphie left?"  
  
Zell nodded. "Yeah, but she doesn't have a dorm room yet, so we may have to leave her behind if we can't find her."  
  
Irvine frowned. "Well, I hate to leave her behind, but I guess we have to do what we have to do." Irvine closed his door, and followed Zell from the dorms. They took a left and proceeded toward the entrance, when they heard a scream coming from the Training Center.  
  
Zell recognized the scream.  
  
"It's Selphie! Come on!"  
  
They ran into the Center and down the long hallway. They flung open the doors to find Selphie pinned into a corner. Three Grats surrounded her. They were pounding on her at first, then one released it's sleeping gas. She fell to the floor in a limp position. They turned their attention to Irvine and Zell when they heard their footsteps.  
  
Irvine shot off their arms, disabling them to attack. One countered with sleeping gas. Irvine dodged it. Zell summoned Hell Fire, and all that remained of the Grats was a steaming pile of cinders. Zell walked over to Selphie and picked her up. She had bruises on her face and arms from where the Grats pounded her. She was still sleeping.   
  
They left the Training Center and left Balamb Garden. They barely caught the train that was boarded for Timber at 6 A.M. They all sat within the cabin of the train, and Irvine tried his luck at catching some sleep. Zell couldn't sleep, but his anger was beginning to deteriorate, thanks to Selphie sleeping in his lap. He smiled and stroked her hair a bit before finally nodding off.  
  
(Much better than the last chapter .!) 


	7. Selphie's Thoughts

(Disclaimer: Hurrah, I've had three reviews so far and they've all been good, but then I read Beautiful Songstress's story and was discouraged a bit .'..hers was really good. I've read BitterSweetPill's "Selphie's very secret diary" earlier, and laughed so much =P I haven't read yours, Ayuka, but I will when I get the chance. Thanks, peoples who reviewed me. Get other people to read my stuff if you can. Thanks a lot!)  
  
Selphie's Thoughts  
  
On the train to Timber, Selphie dreamed. She dreamt she was on a train. A train bound for Timber, and they would find Rinny, who was safe and sound. She had stayed at "Chief's", or the leader of Forest Fox. She had few children who caused mischief. Selphie really liked her, and fully trusted her to keep Rinny safe. She hoped it was only that simple.   
  
Then she heard a loud crash.  
  
She opened her eyes. There was a brief screech. Irvine sat across from her, curled up on a couch, his cowboy hat over his eyes. She recognized the cabin. This was the train bound for Timber. Was it another dream?  
  
She began to sit up when she felt something move. She stared up and saw Zell's face, leaned over, his eyes shut, obviously asleep. She stopped moving, afraid she would wake him. This HAD to be a dream. Where else could she have been as fortunate to sleep in Zell's lap? She blinked. Why did she suddenly think that?  
  
Ever since the email conversation Selphie had with Zell, she seemed to see him differently. Each day after the Ultimacia Battle, he began to act different around her. Even during the SeeD Mission to stop the Sorceress, she didn't get to learn much about him well. Everyone was constantly rushing and on edge. She thought of him as a shield, a comrad. They had known each other their whole lives practially, though. At least, until they turned five, that is.  
  
Now Selphie was beginning to see Zell, at first, more of a friend, and she began to see their differences, but it was rare to spot any. She and Zell seemed more similar than anything else. She couldn't point out just why. She figured just cause they always watched each others backs, even since the orphanage.  
  
Ellone and Quistis always seemed to be the ones in charge, and she was left behind, she felt.  
  
Squall and Seifer only wanted Ellone for themselves. Ellone was, afterall, called the big sister.  
  
There was Irvine, but he tried stealing away Ellone and Quistis from everyone else, like all the girls were some big prize to him.  
  
Then there was Zell. She noticed him the night when they planned to set off fireworks on the shore. Poor Zell didn't have any friends, but he never wanted to cause trouble. He only wanted to prevent it. She didn't see him as tattle-telling.  
  
Seifer, who constantly picked on Zell, slipped the matches into his pocket after he threw him into the ocean. Zell walked back onto the shore, soaking wet. Matron later found the smaller fireworks and matches in Zell's pants. Selphie took the blame, saying she slipped them into his pockets as a joke. They were close friends ever since.  
  
Now they seemed more than friends. "I think..we're more than just friends." She remembered Zell's words so clear. What if he felt the same way? Nah, never. Not with Selphie. But her curiousity was still high. He never told her the other thing that was on his mind, but it didn't involve her. She knew it didn't.  
  
Selphie looked up at Zell and smiled. She played with a strand of hair that was hanging over his face before dozing back off to sleep.  
  
(Heh heh, now she's starting to like him. It won't be much longer, ladies and gentlemen =D)  
  
(This just updated: To Ayuka: I didn't realize that your story is based on Yu-gi-oh! I've tried to understand Yu-gi-oh! and I get confused. I don't understand it that well so I'm scared to read your story. I don't wanna be reading it and be like "duuh?" '.' Sorry .') 


	8. Irvine and Zell's Conflict

(Disclaimer: Woo, I am soo happy that I got out of my writer's block from earlier. Now I just keep writing stuff oo I wanna wait a little while, and then type some more, but with my luck, something on my computer at home, my grandparent's computer, or this computer will mess up, so I think I'm a little paranoid to stop. Maybe since I have Norton Antivirus on this thing, I won't get another virus and die oo..now I'm rambling on again ')  
  
I. Irvine's Thoughts  
  
Irvine awoke. The train was still in motion, and Selphie was still asleep in Zell's lap. He envied Zell. He thought for sure he had Selphie within his grasp, but then he started feeling sorry for putting Selphie down at the orphange. He only tried to send her a positive message. How is a kid supposed to send a girl a message called love when they can't even understand what it was?  
  
He tried not to care, but he had such a crush on her. How can you resist her? She was so happy and cheerful all the time, and her smile gave him one in return. Maybe she didn't like Zell, but what if it was possible? There were so many thoughts running through his mind. Now Zell seemed more like a threat than anything.  
  
He looked down at his shotgun. He took it into his hands. Even though the gun was unloaded, he aimed it at Zell and pulled the trigger. He blinked, then quickly lowered the gun to the ground. Why was he feeling so much anger? Then he felt sad. Angry. Sad. Despair.   
  
He lowered his cowboy hat back over his eyes and tried going back to sleep, to relieve himself of the hatred in his heart. He was afraid that his anger was so strong, he may have ended up killing Zell.  
  
II. Zell's Thoughts  
  
Zell was awakened a few minutes after he felt something move. He looked down at Selphie, hoping she was awake, but she still appeared to be asleep. He moved her bangs aside, and saw that her eyes were, indeed, still closed. He looked across the room to Irvine. Then he felt hatred. Why was he getting angry again? Then he thought of how he could kill Irvine. He felt a rush of paranoia over him, paranoid that Irvine would take Selphie away from him.  
  
He shook his head. He closed his eyes. Why was this anger coming back to him?  
  
Before, he was angry at himself. He understood this. He was angry that he couldn't find the guts to tell Selphie how he felt about her. Now, he was becoming angry at himself, but also toward Irvine.   
  
He envied Irvine. He seemed more cool and calm around Selphie. Irvine would end up telling Selphie how he felt about her before Zell could ever get the chance to.   
  
He's a threat, something told him in his mind. You must rid of the threat. You're a SeeD. SeeD. SeeD...  
  
There was a battle in his mind. What does being a SeeD have to do with anything? He thought this. He knew a SeeD's mission was to eliminate any threats, but this was his own personal conflict. The thought still lingered in his mind.  
  
He's going to steal Selphie away from you. You must stop him... Permanently.  
  
III. The Conflict Begins  
  
"Leave me alone!" He screamed aloud. Both Selphie and Irvine jolted awake. Selphie looked up to him, and they made eye contact. She sat up and erect, and looked the other way, blushing.  
  
Irvine and Zell made eye contact with each other. Zell was clenching his fist, tightening his fighting gloves, and Irvine reached under the seat for his shotgun. Zell stood from the seat, and walked closer to him. Irvine was reloading his weapon.   
  
Selphie looked to each of them. What was going on?  
  
Irvine aimed the gun at him, and Zell had the spikes of his knuckles at Irvine's throat. Selphie stood slowly, and Irvine was slowly pulling the trigger. Selphie jolted Zell's shoulder, knocking him to the side, as Irvine pulled the trigger. The blast fired into her right arm. She yelled out in pain.  
  
The train came to a jolting stop. Irvine and Zell both blinked, and lowered their weapons. They rushed to Selphie and checked her arm. "I'm fine," she told them, and walked for the door, holding her arm, blood dripping through her fingers.. They looked to each other and stayed their distance, afraid the painful hatred would return to them once more.   
  
They each shuddered at the thought that Selphie could have been killed in an instant.  
  
(Dun dun dun!) 


	9. Pressing On Into Timber

(Disclaimer: Whoohoo! I woke up this morning and found 10 reviews! Half of 'em are from Marty98 o.O he made some good suggestions though. I guess I still lack detail and use pronouns too much O.o' I'll try and correct that. Thanks so much for your suggestions =P)  
  
Pressing On Into Timber  
  
The train came to a stop. Irvine, Zell, and Selphie left the train. She kept looking back at both Irvine and Zell. Why had they suddenly snapped? She was cautious to be around them, fearing they could turn on her any second, not that she wasn't concerned about them turning on each other.  
  
Zell had ripped the end of his shirt for Selphie to use as a bandage around her arm. Already, within a few minutes, the cloth had completly absorbed the blood. He suggested if they should seek a doctor. She refused. She wasn't sure how much time they were going to need to find Rinny, if they were going to even find her at all.  
  
They crossed the bridge to a set of houses that were scrunched together. They knocked on the door of one of the taller houses: "Chief's" House. After a few knocks, the door opened.  
  
"Ah, welcome." She looked to them all. "I remember you, Selphie, and you, Zell.." She noticed Irvine. "But who is this?"  
  
Zell tapped his foot. "This is Irvine. Sorry, we can't be giving names right now, Chief. We have something to ask you."  
  
She opened the door wider. "Well, come in. Stay a while, and tell me about what's on your mind."  
  
They walked in, and she closed the door behind them. The house was small and provided much heat from the open oven and fireplace upstairs. They each took a seat.  
  
"Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?" She asked them, standing over the oven, boiling hot water for their tea.  
  
Zell asked her, "Have you seen Rinoa pass through here?"  
  
She turned to him. "Why, yes, a few days ago. She stopped in shortly to tell me that she couldn't stay long. She was on her way to Esthar."  
  
Selphie's heart raced. At least Rinoa HAD gotten this far. She started to feel light-headed. She looked down at her arm, at blood that was starting to run down the bandage, for it couldn't absorb anymore. She didn't want to worry Chief, so she hid her arm behind her back.  
  
Irvine asked Chief, "Do you know if she made it to Esthar?"  
  
Chief returned to the oven, and poured them each some tea that was finished brewing, and handed them each a cup before saying "Zone says she made it to Esthar safely. He asked the staff at the Memorial to notify him when Rinoa had arrived."  
  
"But that doesn't mean anything, does it?" Zell told her.  
  
"Well, you wouldn't suppose they would lie, do you?"  
  
There was silence, then Zell stood. "We need to leave. We need to get to Esthar."  
  
"Well," Chief told him, "If you intend to make it to Esthar within a day, talk to Zone. He runs an underground railroad that leads directly to Esthar. He helps any of the Balamb students that need to go there. It's been opened after the Sorceress Battle."  
  
They stood, and thanked her before leaving. They headed left for the station, and they could already identify which was Zone. He always disguised as a bum in ragged clothing that begged for money.  
  
"Hey, I haven't seen you in a long while, Selphie!" He noticed Selphie's face quicker than the others. "So, what are you and Zell doing around these parts?"  
  
"We need to get to Esthar. Chief told us that your train system takes Balamb students directly there."  
  
Zone nodded. "Yes, it does. May I ask why you're going there?"  
  
Irvine blinked. "You didn't know? Rinoa hasn't returned to Balamb."  
  
Zone was silent. "Do you think she's in trouble?"  
  
Selphie told him "We're going to go see."  
  
Zone gestured them to follow him. He didn't want anyone, except for Balamb students, to know about the underground railroad. He unlocked a door beyond the Subway that led to a set of stairs descending down.   
  
"Take these stairs down to the train. Tell the conductor that Zone sent you, and you'll be on your way."  
  
"Thanks," Selphie said.  
  
"Oh, and Selphie," Zone added, "Come back safe with Rinoa, okay?"  
  
She nodded, and they followed the stairs down into the secret station. They boarded the train. It was nice and had it's own little cabin, similar to the Timber train. Zell passed through each car and into the front. He told the conductor that Zone had sent him, and he started the ignition immediatly.  
  
Zell returned to the car to find Selphie staggering a bit. Her face was pale, and she finally fell to her knees. Zell ran to her.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.  
  
"I'm fine..just tired, I suppose.  
  
"No, you're losing blood. We need to find you a doctor."  
  
Before Selphie could respond, her eyes rolled in the back of her head, and her head fell to the floor. She was unconcious.  
  
(Kay, I'm not sure if I still broke some of rules Marty wanted me to follow. I may have to be given examples of my stupidity that I put into my writing '.' I'm a bit slow at catching on. Hope I'm doing a little better.) 


	10. Riding Into Esthar

(Disclaimer: Heh, everyone's telling me that I still lack in detail oO' I'll try and add more detail as best as I can, but when I end up adding too much, people get bored and confused, so I try to be more to the point, but I will take a shot at adding more details o.o..thanks for the reviews! Send more please.)  
  
Riding Into Esthar  
  
There was darkness. Selphie opened her eyes to a cabin similar to the one on the Timber train. She looked around. She lied on the soft padding of the couch. She sat up. She had such a headache. She noticed her arm. It was wrapped in another layer of cloth, this piece of cloth becoming as saturated as the last.  
  
She remembered fainting, seeing the floor, then darkness. She remembered seeing Zell's expression, his concern. Where was he, anyways? She looked around for him, or at least for Irvine. Had they left her behind?   
  
She stood from the couch, and nearly lost her balance. She hadn't gained her grounding and wasn't used to standing up just yet, nor was she used to the lights beaming over her eyes. It dazed her a bit. She crossed to the other side of the room. She felt a brief stop of the train, then it continued. The train must have still been in motion, so they couldn't have left her behind, but then another thought occured to her: What if the train was taking her back to Timber instead of to Esthar?  
  
She tried opening the door. It was locked. They must have locked it, afraid she would be up and around, and she would fall faint again. She felt as though her strength was depleting by the second. She had to quit worrying so much. She needed rest, but her mind was rushing. How far were they from Esthar? A few miles, or many, if she was being returned to Timber?  
  
She was staggering again. She figured the bleeding would stop soon. She wasn't sure why she felt so weak, whether it had been from losing blood or the fact that she hated seeing it, and it made her woozy. Her vision felt clouded. She couldn't see. Her eyes wouldn't adjust to the lighting.  
  
She lied back onto the couch, and heard the familiar "swoosh" of the cabin door opening. She tried to see who entered.  
  
"You feeling better?" She recognized Zell's voice. He came closer to her, and she began to see more detail of him easier.  
  
"I still feel really dizzy," she confessed. He sat down beside her. She didn't have to struggle to see his face anymore. He noticed the second dressing of bandage was saturated with blood as well, and he ripped another strip from his shirt. He wrapped it firmly around the two absorbed bandages.  
  
She smiled. "Thanks, Zell." There was a brief silence, and then "How far are we from Esthar?"  
  
"Only about ten minutes away," he told her, then returned the smile. "I was afraid something was really wrong. You haven't lost as much blood as Irvine and I thought you lost."  
  
She remembered on the previous train what happened. "Say, Zell, since I've been asleep, have you and Irvine..fought again?"  
  
He scratched his head. "Well, we almost did. I felt like this whole thing was his fault, and then remembered that you risked your life trying to push ME out of the way, so then I got angry at myself. I think Irvine felt angry at himself, too, because he put the gun to his head. I told him to stop, and he almost pulled the trigger..but then he stopped, and dropped it on the ground."  
  
Selphie was beginning to get really scared of these incidents. "Zell, why were you so mad at him earlier?"  
  
He felt shivers up his spine, remembering what happened. "I'm not sure. I was angry at myself, and then it was as if he experienced the same thing as me. I felt envy for him, at first, and then I was so sad, then I felt everything was hopeless. It was like the anger before, the anger I had with myself when I couldn't tell you--" He stopped short. Her eyes were fixed on him, and he remembered that he hadn't told Selphie how he felt about her yet.  
  
Her eyes were filled with curiousity. "Tell me what?"  
  
Zell shook his head. "What we need to find out is what's causing us to turn on each other like this."  
  
Selphie wasn't convinced. "Tell me WHAT, Zell?"  
  
He continued to ignore her, and she tugged on his shirt collar, but pulled him too far. Pulled him on top of her. Their faces were within an inch of each other. The train came to a screeching halt, and their noses touched.   
  
Zell sat up quickly, and turned the other way. Selphie faced the opposite of him. Each felt their faces, and they were burning warm and red. Zell stood up, and walked out of the cabin before Selphie got a chance to turn back to him. She left the cabin as well, her face still flushed. The three of them left the train, right into the heart of Esthar.  
  
(Someone doesn't want me to finish this series. I swear it! The computer I mostly use to write on is slow and old and dying, and the other two and practially brand new and they somehow got a virus! This just hasn't been my day Oo') 


	11. Searching for Rinoa

(Disclaimer: I won't be writing as much during the weekdays as I do on the weekends. I have a computer at home, but I have Juno, which is slower than my grandma, especially when you consider she flies down the road like "woosh", but the point is, the other computer I work from has cable, so it, also, is like "woosh", so you may have to be more patient when expecting more chapters so soon. That's all, I'm done)  
  
Searching for Rinoa  
  
They stepped off the train to the familiar city of Esthar, the "Largest, Unseen City in the World." It was given it's name by the barrier outside of the city that matches to any certain given environment. Zell remembered bringing Rinoa here when she was unconcious, and they had the most difficult time finding the city.  
  
Esthar covered hundreds of miles, yet, under any threats, it was immediatly hidden like a cowering mouse. The buildings stood hundreds of feet tall and were glazed in a shimmering blue glow. How can any terrorist miss a city like THAT?  
  
They arrived at the President's Palace. They sat upon a chair that carried them inside. Selphie was delighted to sit on one of these again. It seemed like any ordinary cushion that sat outside the palace, was engulfed into a bubble that transfered the party inside. It was like an interactive, 3-D ride. They arrived inside and were greeted by the usual guards, who noticed their faces from the months before. They escorted them to the front door, where Laguna sat inside.  
  
They walked through the doors, and into his office. He turned around in his big fancy chair, directing his attention to them.  
  
"Ah, I haven't seen you all in so long," he told them. He immediatly noticed Selphie's arm, and looked to the door guard. He ordered her out. Selphie refused, but was taken underway. Zell began to follow her, when Laguna stopped him. "They're only taking her to Dr. Odine. I was concerned she may get an infection."  
  
Zell nodded, and took a seat that was placed in front of the desk. Irvine followed, and sat at the one next to Zell's. Laguna now had their full attention. "So, what is it you've come for?"  
  
"Have you seen Rinoa pass through here?" Zell asked.  
  
"Indeed, I have. She came to see me, because you must pass through the city before heading to the Memorial, which is where she said she was headed. I saw her three days ago."  
  
"Three days ago? Then..where has she been the last three days?"  
  
Laguna frowned. "Are you telling me she hasn't returned to Balamb yet?"  
  
Irvine shook his head. "We thought, since Esthar was such a big city, that she may have gotten lost, but she obviously made it there."  
  
"She wouldn't have gotten lost," Laguna informed him. "She's been there before, and I know she was held captive." There was a silence. "You don't think she's being held there again, do you?"  
  
Irvine stood and turned for the door. "I'm not so sure, but maybe we need to check it out."  
  
"Thanks, Laguna," Zell told him, and they both left, riding back on the interactive entrance/exit lift.  
  
Before renting a car to drive from the city, they walked to Dr. Odine's lab, where Selphie had gotten stiches in her arm, wrapped in a fresh bandage, and not just a thin layer of clothing. Zell felt a bit silly now, looking down at his ripped shirt, having used it so many times as a wrapping. Her wound had been cleaned and rewrapped, and they left. They rented a car for 5000 gil, and drove from the city and into the deserts of Esthar, on their way to the Memorial.  
  
(I'm not sure yet how many words are in this chapter, but I'd have to guess this is my shortest. It isn't the best one, I know, and I'm gonna get some complaints, but it was really hard to pick the right words and have so much detail '.' I hope it was okay) 


	12. Meanwhile

(Disclaimer: The last chapter was basically saying that they were on their way to the Memorial, so that's why it sucked and was so short. This part of the story takes place at a different setting. Find out from reading, you'll see what I mean .)  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
The ball was to take place at 8 P.M., and as of now, it was 5:12 P.M. Selphie, Zell, and Irvine weren't well aware of the time yet.  
  
Back at Balamb, Quistis was beginning to worry. She hadn't seen Zell, Selphie, or Irvine all day. If it had been a weekday, she could have investigated and written them up, because they would have missed classes, but they could have went anywhere, seeing it was the weekend. She wanted to ask Zell's mother if they had visited Zell's house, or were at least somewhere in Balamb, but she didn't want to be nosey. She was still concerned, though.  
  
She remembered the rumor she told in the teacher's lounge, and wandered if it was such a wise idea to tell it, yet was beginning to wonder if it was true. Rinoa had been missing a little more than a week, now, and one could go to the Memorial and return within four days. Maybe she got lost in Esthar, Quistis thought. Yet, she knew Rinoa would want to rid of her powers as quickly as she could, and she wouldn't take the time to explore the city. She hoped the Memorial wasn't keeping her again..  
  
Nonsense. They kept her once for the safety of others. They wouldn't keep her and experiment with her...would they?  
  
Seifer couldn't help but think about these things as well. Though he and Fujjin were a couple, he couldn't get his mind off of Rinoa. He still had feelings for her, even after they parted and said their farewells. He wasn't concerned, at first, for Rinoa. He knew she could take care of herself. He knew. He almost pushed her into giving into her sorceress powers. Then he thought of Adel, of how she was so weak and defenseless when Adel used her as a shield. He shuddered at the thought, at the thought of how heartless he was. He loathed himself for the longest time, after that.  
  
He was lying in his dorm room, staring up at the ceiling, hoping she was okay. He didn't even think of how Squall was feeling..  
  
He was outraged. That's how Squall was. He was in the Training Room, trying to take his mind off of Rinoa, but couldn't. He was such a loner, and he finally found someone who seemed to care that his existence was meaningful. Now where was she? He knew she wouldn't break his heart, but she was undirectly. He cut through the fiends easily, their blood dripping down to the tip of his sword. He heard the droplets of blood hit the ground. It sounded like pounding, the pounding in his heart, or the pounding in his head. "She's left you.." There was a voice in his mind. "Gone forever, leaving your pathetic self behind.."  
  
Unaware of his actions, he stumbed upon a T-Rexasaur. He felt hatred, and wasn't even aware that he killed it, stabbed it through the heart, until the blood ran down his sword and onto his forehead, the blood slowly running down his face. He dropped his sword, and looked down at his hands. They, too, were covered in blood. Why did he feel so much anger?  
  
He left the Training Center, leaving behind his gunblade, as well. He returned to his dorm room to wash the blood from his face and hands. He stared at his reflection. What caused those thoughts in his mind?  
  
(That one seemed soo much better than my last one. If you haven't started adding the clues together, I'll give you a hint: Irvine was feeling anger, sadness, and despair, and so have Seifer, Squall, and Zell. Think there's some type of connection? You'll find out soon enough =P) 


	13. Rescuing Rinoa

(Disclaimer: I've had someone ask what the connection between Irvine, Zell, Squall, and Seifer have been, based on their emotions. This chapter tells why they're having these emotions, and it may be a bit confusing. I'll try and eleborate as best as I can. It made sense to me at the time o.O')  
  
Rescuing Rinoa  
  
Zell, Selphie, and Irvine arrived at the front of the Memorial. They parked, and entered through the front gates. They didn't intend to start any trouble. Not just yet, but they were ready. Some weird things had been going on, like Zell and Irvine conflicting against each other. Sure, they were rivals, but they each heard voices in their heads. What would be posessing them to think such things?  
  
Posessing. That was the magic word, though they weren't aware of it. Rinoa was a sorceress, after all.  
  
They walked in cautiously. There was no one around. It was common to find the place empty. Zell and Irvine had visited here before, and they knew not many people worked here. But where were the ones who DID work here?  
  
They headed for the Sorceress Chamber. Inside was Rinoa, leaned against the wall of the cylinder chamber, appearing as though she was asleep. Selphie ran up to it, and knocked on it. Rinoa didn't respond. The chamber must have been new. The old chamber, which was set higher than ground level, was destroyed when Squall slashed it with his gunblade.  
  
At the right of the cylinder were sets of needles. Selphie got cold chills on her arms. Were they doing something that involved needles around Rinoa, like injecting her with something? One needle appeared to have been used. The suringe still had droplets of a formula that had been in it. Selphie was curious as to what it was, but afraid it might be highly comtamined.  
  
Near the small table of needles and flasks with chemicals was a control panel. Irvine assumed it was to Rinoa's chamber. He knew one way to work it. He aimed his gun at it, and fired Electrolyte Ammo. The system short-curcuited, and the door flew open.   
  
Selphie ran into the chamber and shook Rinoa. Within a few moments, she woke up. She appeared sickly and weak. Selphie helped her to stand, but she fell back onto the ground again. She figured she would wait a few minutes and let Rinoa gain some strength back. She hugged her neck, but Rinoa didn't return the hug. Rinoa held her stomach like she was nauseated.  
  
"Rinny, what's wrong? What have they done to you here?"  
  
"Edea's SeeDs.." She started. "After we defeated Ultimacia, Edea's SeeDs were sent in to clear up the mess, the blood, any samples that could cause cloning. Though it seemed unlikely to clone someone the exact same way, as in their personality, they took the samples to be safe. They couldn't just clean the stains from the floor. The stains still remained, so they took the samples to Edea. She wanted to know if there was a specific cell pattern sorcerers and sorceress's were born with, but they were held captive."  
  
Rinoa briefly stopped, and held her stomach tighter. She appeared she would throw up. Then she continued:  
  
"The staff at the Sorceress Memorial took captive of the samples and wanted to test them on a sorceress. They knew Adel and Ultimacia were out of the question, and Edea was well guarded by her White SeeDs. They asked me to come. I found it innocent, and I wanted to see if I could rid of my powers for good."  
  
Irvine kept staring at the needles while listening to her. He was beginning to understand what the needles were for, but still wasn't quite sure. He was so scared of needles. The hair on his neck stood up. "Did they..inject these needles into you?"  
  
Rinoa nodded. "They gave me as many meals as I wanted, as long as I had a shot afterwards. In the suringes were blood of Ultimacia's. They wanted to test and see if there would be any effect of posession if I was injected with the blood of a sorceress from the future. They assumed I would posess anyone I thought of posessing, but I'm not sure if their assumption was right... well, I thought of the two men that usually put the needles into me the other day. I thought about how they would feel if they were pricked with the needles."  
  
Selphie felt sickened. "When was the last time you ate? You look so pale."  
  
Rinoa confessed "I haven't eaten in almost two days. I didn't want them to prick my anymore."  
  
Selphie tried to reason as to why the staff was missing. "You said you thought about pricking them. What happened then?"  
  
"That's why the staff are all gone," Rinoa told her. "Only about five people work here, and they rushed the men to Esthar Emergency Care. They weren't sure what would happen if that was injected into a human."  
  
Zell asked her "So you did that?"  
  
"Not directly. I thought about it, and suddenly, they turned on each other. They stuck needles in each of their arms. They just kept doing it until they bled. When they felt a sharp pain, that was when they stopped stabbing each other."  
  
Irvine remembered the train incident. "Rinoa, have you thought about us for the last few days?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, a lot. I was so angry at what was going on, that I couldn't stop thinking about you guys, and missing you."  
  
Zell was beginning to understand. "Something weird happened, Rinoa."  
  
She looked to him, her eyes full of questions. He told her "On our way here, Irvine and I got angry at each other, out of nowhere. I felt like I completly loathed him, and we almost ended up killing each other."  
  
Her eyes widened. She felt so guilty. It was her fault. "I could have killed you." She noticed Selphie's arm. She wondered if that was her fault, too.  
  
Selphie said "If this whole incident hadn't happened, we wouldn't have left Balamb in the first place. You wouldn't be injected and have this power."  
  
Rinoa had a hard time buying it, but agreed. "Still, if I hadn't even come here..I still feel like it's my fault, because I was so naive to believe them."  
  
Selphie sighed, giving up. It was hard to show Rinoa the good side of things sometimes. She blamed herself for so many things. She figured she had better not tell Rinoa about the ball. "We need to get out of here," Selphie told her. She tried lifting her up again, with the help of Irvine and Zell.   
  
They left the Memorial right in time. A minute later, the staff had returned. They found it dangerous to have Rinoa in the open, seeing she still had Ultimacia's blood running through her system, but bothered not chasing after her again. They hoped she would snap on the ones who fleed her from there. Riding back into Esthar, Rinoa felt more and more sick to her stomach.   
  
(Hope that made a little bit of sense. Basically, whatever emotions Rinoa had, and whoever she was thinking of, that person felt the same emotions. She was angry, and at times, felt hopeless. That's why all those emotions were going through Seifer's, Zell's, Irvine's, and Squall's mind. Maybe this last bit made it a little more clear for you Oo;) 


	14. Racing Back Into Balamb

(Disclaimer: I'm just about done writing on the story. I have a few more chapters to go, and then the story shall be kaput =( There was going to be this one, one concerning Rinoa, and Quistis's journal. I may end up writing more journals of the other characters, depending on how well things go. Sorry to see it end kinda fast)  
  
I. Racing Back Into Balamb  
  
"Stop the car again," Rinoa begged. They stopped the car. They had a few miles before they would reach Esthar and this was the third time they had to stop because was Rinoa was feeling so sick to her stomach. She left the car and walked a way from it, and knelled to the ground, holding her stomach. She was on her hands and knees and was forcefully coughing. She threw up again.  
  
She returned to the car, and they finally made their way into Esthar minutes later. They returned the rented car, and returned to the secret underground station set up at the heart of the city. It was well hidden and guarded, though, so no one can enter. They boarded the train, and Zell confirmed to the engineer that they were ready to leave. The train whistled and pulled out of the station.  
  
They walked Rinoa into the cabin. The couches and bunkbeds were comforting to her, and she rested at the bottom cot of the bunkbeds. She lied down, and returned to her feeble position, holding her stomach. Selphie sat at the edge of the bed. "Why do you feel so sick?" She asked.  
  
"I'm not sure," Rinoa said. "I haven't had food in a few days, so I suppose that's what it is." She was silent for a moment, then added "And I keep thinking about those needles. It's like those people despised me. They stuck them in with such force that I swore I would bleed and wouldn't stop. I was so afraid they would flinch and stab me in the neck or something."  
  
Rinoa rolled back onto her side, staring at the wall, away from Selphie, Zell, and Irvine. Selphie stood and let her rest. Within a few moments, they heard her breathing regularly and on a steady pace, and assumed she was asleep. Selphie sat on the couch, and Zell sat next to her. Irvine sat to the left of Zell, at the other end of the couch.  
  
Selphie kept watching Rinoa. She must have been so exhausted from being there for such a long time. Those few days probably felt like years. If only she knew how much people really cared about her. Rinoa always seemed to take less credit for herself, even in times when she was optimistic. If it hadn't been for Rinoa, Squall would probably still be in his shell.  
  
Squall..the SeeD ball! Selphie remembered, and looked to Zell. He looked to her confused. "What time is it?" She said.  
  
Zell remembered the ball, as well, and began to panic. They needed to get back on time. This whole mission concerned Rinoa getting back together with Squall. Irvine assured them:  
  
"Calm down, this train will get us to Timber quickly enough," he told them. "From Timber, we'll board for Balamb, and arrive within a few minutes. What we need to do now is catch some rest."  
  
Selphie nodded. "Yeah, we've been at this mission for quite some time now. Sleeping will help pass the time, too."  
  
Irvine looked to Zell, and neared the bunkbeds. He smiled. "I'll sleep away from you. Don't wanna be snapping on you again."  
  
He climbed the laddar to the top cot and lied back, pulling his cowboy hat over his eyes. He turned toward the wall and fell asleep within seconds. Zell leaned at one side of the couch, Selphie at the other. Zell and Selphie, exhausted like Irvine and Rinoa, fell asleep quickly as well.  
  
Minutes later, the train passed over a bump in the rails, and Selphie was thrown from the couch. She returned to the couch, but leaned on Zell instead.  
  
II. Leaving Rinoa Behind  
  
The train came to a screeching halt, and Selphie was thrown from the couch again. Zell awoke when he heard the impact of Selphie hitting the floor. Irvine awoke minutes later. Selphie went to the edge of Rinoa's bed, and shouted "Wakey wakey!"  
  
"Rise'n shine!" Irvine said in an exaggerated redneck voice.  
  
"Wake up and smell the bacon!" Zell shouted.  
  
But Rinoa didn't respond, not even with a "shut up, you guys" or "five more minutes"  
  
Selphie shook her. "Come on, Rinny. Time to get up."  
  
She stayed limp. Selphie was getting concerned.  
  
"Rin?" Said Zell. He turned her over. Her eyes were still shut. They were thinking the worst. Zell felt for a pulse. She was still breathing and had a pulse, but why wasn't she waking up?  
  
They left the train, and Irvine was carrying Rinoa in his arms. They ascended the stairs from the Subway and headed for Chief's house. Zell knocked on the door at first, then pounded on it when he got no answer. Chief answered within moments, and noticed Rinoa. "Come in," she said. They did as they were told, and she shut the door behind them. "Take her up to the childrens' room," Chief added, and Irvine placed Rinoa on the small bed and returned to the kitchen.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Chief asked.  
  
"She's probably sick from those bastards at the Memorial," Zell said, remembering the large needles set out on the tray.  
  
Chief was surprised by his words. "What happened?"  
  
"We found her on the ground. She said she was being used as an experiment. In the suringes were samples of Ultimacia's blood. They injected them into her to see if anything would happen," Irvine said.  
  
"And it worked, too," Selphie added. "Irvine and Zell almost killed each other. It turns out, on the way to Esthar, she was thinking of Zell and Irvine, and thinking anger as well, so the anger was transferred to them."  
  
Chief scratched her head. "This all sounds a bit fictional."  
  
"That's what I thought when Rinoa told me the story," Zell said, "but then I remembered how angry I was. It seemed inhuman to feel that much anger. Primitive. I knew it had to be some type of evil, so when she mentioned Ultimacia, it sounded about right."  
  
Chief was a bit dazed still, but seemed to understand. "So you're all heading back to Balamb now?"  
  
Selphie nodded. "We need to get to the SeeD ball."  
  
"I suggest you leave Rinoa here. She needs rest."  
  
Zell shook his head in strong disagreement. "We came all this way to find Rinoa because we wanted Squall to see her. This whole mission would be useless if we don't get her back."  
  
Chief laughed. "You're making it sound like it's a SeeD mission." She stopped laughing, returning to being serious. "What's more important: Having Squall see her, but she being ill, or having her return another day in good health?"  
  
Zell looked to the ground. "I guess you have a point." He looked back up to her. "Okay. Please take care of her."  
  
"I will," Chief assured him. "Be on your way now."  
  
They left from Timber at 7:33 P.M. and neared Balamb within minutes. They all felt defeated inside, having gone a whole day, shedding sweat and literally blood. There was silence in the cabin.  
  
"All that time, and we still didn't get Rinny back," Selphie said, her tone of voice uncheery. It was odd for Zell to hear her this way.  
  
"Well, she'll be back tomorrow," Zell assured her, "and at least Squall will get to see her. It's better than her being missing, right?"  
  
Everything returned silent as they pulled into the Balamb Train Station.  
  
(Whew, sorry that took so long. I know I'm two days overdue, but I haven't gotten much sleep in the last few days, and I couldn't keep my head up and think, so I slept a lot. Hope you like this chapter '.') 


	15. The SeeD Ball

(Disclaimer: This is the third to last chapter I have. This one should be good, though. I have it all planned out. Read on.)  
  
The SeeD Ball  
  
The train pulled into the Balamb Station. It was approximatly thirty minutes until the ball would start. Zell parted from Irvine and Selphie to visit his home. His mother was feeling better than before, and he went to ask her if she had kept his SeeD uniform. His mother wanted to keep it. She had been so proud, like any mother would have been.  
  
As for Irvine and Selphie, they returned to Balamb Garden. Irvine was a bit nervous. He didn't have much to choose from. He had a few dressy clothes, but not many. Selphie walked him to his dorm to help him decide what to wear. He decided on a pair of beige kakhis and a royal blue colared shirt. Selphie took the hat from his head, and placed it on her own. She knew he couldn't wear a hat to the ball. Irvine took his hair out of a ponytail. He really did have beautiful auburn hair. Selphie had an idea, and went right to work with it.  
  
In the meantime, a few rooms down the hall, Seifer was standing in front of the large mirror placed on his wall. Fujjin was standing in front of him. She was a professional seamstress and had made him a handsome tuxedo. He filled it in so perfectly. His hair was neatly combed and parted, and she sprayed his hair to keep it down, because it tended to curl on the sides, since it was getting rather long. Fujjin wore a dark blue kimono-style dress that fell to her knees. With her large red eyes and silver hair, she looked lovely in it. Both Fujjin and Seifer smiled when they looked at each other, and embraced. Seifer gave her a light kiss on the lips.  
  
Quistis was having her hair french braided into pig-tail braids by Xu. Quistis's idea on a dress was a red, form-fitting collared tanktop with a black skirt that fell to her knees and flared out a bit. Xu wore nearly the same thing, except her top was a deep green. They were laughing and giggling, and talking about how the ball was going to be so much fun.   
  
But Squall was in a state of depression. Rinoa still hadn't returned, and he didn't even want to go. However, Seifer and Quistis suggested he should. They said it would take his mind off of Rinoa, and that she would return home soon, but he couldn't get his mind off of her. How could he? Her smile was branded into his mind. Her laugh, her voice, everything. He would see someone that looked like Rinoa tonight, perhaps, and go to embrace her, but it be someone else. Nevertheless, he had changed into his SeeD uniform, and neatly combed his hair. His hair had gotten longer in the past six months, so it was put up into a small ponytail. He looked into the mirror, and figured what was presented was good enough..if it had to exist.  
  
Zell returned with his SeeD uniform, and went directly to his dorm to change into it. A perfect fit. It had been a bit loose a few months ago, but now he fit into his perfectly. He was afraid he had grown too much, and it would be small. He decided he would have his hair a different style for tonight. Instead of it flaring up at the bangs, he parted it down the middle, and brushed each side back. He hadn't realized how well that hairstyle suit him until he walked into the hall and bumped into Selphie and Irvine. Irvine was wearing beige kakhis and a blue collared shirt. His long hair was french braided into one long strand. It suited him well. Selphie noticed how handsome Zell looked in his uniform, but she noticed the hair quickest.   
  
"Zell, you should keep your hair that way! It looks so great on you!" She squeeled.  
  
He scratched his head, blushing a bit. "You really think so?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, you look so handsome with it."  
  
Zell noticed she hadn't changed into anything yet. "Are you gonna dress up?"  
  
She nodded. "I was helping Irvine. I'll go get dressed now."  
  
He frowned. "You'll be a little late for the ball."  
  
"That's okay," she said. "I'll meet up with you later!"  
  
She ran down the hall, and unlocked the door next to Zell's room. Her dorm room was next to his?  
  
Irvine and Zell met up with Seifer and Fujjin as they left the Dormatories. Squall came out minutes later. Quistis and Xu were at the second floor, so they took the elevator down to the first floor.  
  
There were familar and unfamilar faces. Quistis first noticed Irvine. He looked to much different out of his cowboy outfit. He looked much more handsome, as well. Zell, too, looked handsome with his new hairstyle. Squall was leaning against the wall, watching Fujjin and Seifer talk. He hadn't realized how much Fujjin looked like Rinoa, seeing Fujjin was wearing a blue dress, and had an Asian-looking face like Rinoa. His heart ached. How he missed her...  
  
The first slow song came on. Irvine grabbed Quistis and started imitating the hokey-pokey. Quistis laughed, and Zell couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous he looked. Seifer and Fujjin danced close, and Irvine finally got serious and danced with Quistis. He commented on how nice she looked, but she was a bit cautious, seeing how he could be a pervert sometimes. Zell heard little pattering of feet, and turned and saw Selphie.   
  
"I finally made it!" She said, out of breath from running.  
  
Zell felt like he was out of breath, too. She was so beautiful. She was wearing a light blue dress. The straps of the dress formed a triangle collar, and formed a diamond shape at the chest of the dress. The straps pulled around to the back and were tied into a neat bow. The bottom of the dress flared out to just above her knees. She wore black knee-boots that matched the black seams to her dress. Her hair style was different, too. It was parted to one side and put up in two neat pigtails. The light blue of the dress made her large green eyes light up.  
  
"Wanna dance?" She said, and smiled. Before he could answer, she pulled him out onto the dance floor.  
  
Squall watched them. It reminded him of how Rinoa pulled him out onto the dance floor when he first met her. He probably looked like such a dunce. He smiled for a moment at how happy Zell and Selphie looked, but then his smile returned to a frown.  
  
Selphie took one of Zell's hands into hers, and placed the other on his shoulder. He nervously put his other hand on her waist, and they began to waltz. She spun him around so many times, the room kept spinning. He kept stepping off balance. He finally quit spinning and stood straight.  
  
"Selphie," he whispered, "are you trying to make me look as bad as Squall?"  
  
"I heard that," Squall said. They hadn't realized they were dancing near him. They waltzed away from him, and Squall's smile faded. The end of the song was nearing. Zell spun Selphie around toward him, stepped back, and then they pulled together. It was similar to how Squall and Rinoa ended the song, except there weren't any convenient fireworks. They were so close, their faces almost touched. Zell kept looking at Selphie. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her, but she was looking at something else.  
  
Squall, too, noticed she was looking across the room. He looked that way and saw a shadow. It walked toward him wearily and staggering some. It came into the light. Rinoa? He walked toward her, and she fell to the ground. He ran for her and caught her before she hit the ground. He held her in his arms as Selphie had fled from Zell and ran toward her.  
  
"Rinny!" She shouted. More people gathered, and the music stopped.  
  
(Once again..dun dun dun! This one was long. Hope it was okay '.'!) 


	16. Popping the Question Finally

(Disclaimer: This is the second to last chapter. This is actually the last real chapter. The last one is a journal, if I didn't tell you that.)  
  
Popping the Question (Finally)  
  
"Rin--"  
  
'Hmm?' Rinoa felt so dizzy. Everything was so dark.  
  
"Ri--Can you he--Rinoa?"  
  
Who was talking? She was so hungry. She was so scared.  
  
"Rinoa, can you hear me?"  
  
She opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred at first, but then she could clearly see.. Squall! She sat up quickly when she saw him, and hugged his neck. He quickly returned the embrace. "I was so scared something horrible happened to you."  
  
"But something horrible did happen!" She was ecstatic. She tried getting up, but felt too weak to. Squall pushed her back onto the bed. She looked around. She was in the infirmary. "How did I get here?"  
  
"You fainted, remember? Selphie said you must've escaped from Chief's house. Why were you there in the first place?"  
  
"I didn't stay there, I really was missing," she explained. "The people at the Memorial. They experimented with me, they stuck needles in me. I'm so hungry. I haven't had food in days, and I really missed you--"  
  
Squall leaned forward and kissed her deeply. He pulled back after a few moments, and smiled. "That shut you up."  
  
She wanted to laugh, but bit her lip. "You don't care to listen to me?"  
  
He took a strand of her hair into his fingers and played with it. "Of course I want to listen, but not right now. You need rest."  
  
She yawned, and nodded. "Yeah, I suppose I am sleepy."  
  
"In a few hours," Squall said, "you need to get some food in your stomach."  
  
Before he could even finish his sentence, Rinoa had fallen back to sleep. Squall smiled, and rubbed her arm lightly to soothe her before kissing her on the lips softly and leaving.   
  
Selphie was peering through the window at the back of the infirmary room, which could be seen through at the end of the Quad. She was sitting on Zell's shoulders because she was too short to reach the window otherwise.   
  
"See anything?" Zell asked.   
  
Selphie giggled. "They were smooching."  
  
Zell scoffed. "I mean does Rinoa look okay?"  
  
Selphie nodded. "Squall saw her for a few minutes, and then she fell back asleep."  
  
Zell pulled her off of his shoulders. "That's good enough for me."  
  
Selphie walked away from him. "I wanna go see her. I won't wake her up, though."  
  
Zell shouted after her "Wait, I got something I need to--"  
  
She interuppted him "Oh, that's right, you never told me what you were gonna say." She walked back to him. "There's something I need to do too."  
  
"Well," he started, "you see, at first we seemed like just friends--"  
  
Selphie just kept walking closer.  
  
"--and allies when we fought together on the SeeD mission, and of course, we've known each other our whole lives--"  
  
She got within inches of his face.  
  
"--so what I was gonna ask was if you want to go--"  
  
Before he could finish the sentence, Selphie pressed him back against the Quad wall and kissed him for a few long moments. She pulled back. Her face was red, but definetly not as red as Zell's was. He turned the other way and hid his face in his hands. "Wow" was all he could manage to say.  
  
Selphie giggled. "I've been wanting to do that for the longest time," she said while shuffling her feet along the ground. "I've had a crush on you since the orphange, and then we were separated, and I went to Trabia. I was so sad, but made some friends, but then when I moved here and saw you--"  
  
"You thought you'd have a chance with me?"  
  
She looked at the ground and swung her arms behind her back. "Yeah. Dumb thought, huh?"  
  
He laughed. "Are you kidding me? I've been thinking the same thing this whole time!"  
  
Selphie squeeled. "Really?!"  
  
He nodded excitedly. "Yeah! I always thought you had a crush on Irvine, cause I knew he had a huge crush on you!"  
  
"Well," she started, "I did, but he seemed to have a crush on all the other girls, too, so I just gave up on him."  
  
Zell took Selphie's hands into his. "This is so great! I can't believe this is actually happening!" He hugged her tightly, and she quickly returned the hug. She looked into his eyes.  
  
"So, what were you saying?"  
  
He cleared his throat. "Selphie, will you.. go out with me?"  
  
She lightly pushed him against the wall again and kissed him. He smiled when she pulled away. "Is that a good answer?"  
  
He smiled. "Works for me." He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she wrapped her arms around him, and they kissed again, but this time, more deeply, and out of love, not just something out of friendship, for sure.   
  
There was the clicking sound of a camera shutter. "Caught ya! I knew it would happen eventually. About time, Chicken-Wuss."  
  
They both pulled away and saw Seifer with a menacing smile on his face and a camera in his hand. Zell held up a picture of Seifer and Fujjin kissing. "You're not presenting that to the paper just yet, Seifer Almasy."  
  
Seifer's smile faded. "Whoa, whoa, we're even, right?"  
  
Zell laughed. "Yeah, sure." And Seifer left. Selphie looked to him. "Where did you get that picture?"  
  
Zell smiled proudly. "I made it in Computer Graphics class. With Seifer around, always expect the unexpected."  
  
Selphie giggled, the noticed the lights flickering inside. "The ball must be ending. We should be heading off to bed."  
  
Zell dropped his hands from her waist. "Yeah, I guess so."  
  
"Say," Selphie started, "why don't you come over to my dorm room for a while? Of course, you can't stay. That would be bad if the Commitee found us."  
  
Zell smiled. "Sure, I can stay a while." And they both walked back into the Garden as the lights were shutting down, hand in hand.  
  
(Aww, isn't it so sweet ;.;! It's also reallly short) 


	17. Quistis's Journal

(Disclaimer: Final Chappy. I was just thinking of a epilouge for this story. It may take me a while to think on it, though. For now, enjoy the last chapter and watch it all tie together)  
  
Quistis's Journal  
  
Dear journal,  
  
It's been six more months, and other "annual" SeeD ball is coming upon us. I'm still unsure of why Cid calls it an annual ball, because it happens every six months. I suppose I'll start with the least important news to the most important:  
  
Irvine went and saw Matron today. Actually, Cid invited her to the school because she said she wanted to see us all, but we were busy. Irvine was the only one who wasn't. According to Irvine, Cid's planning on letting her be Headmaster or an instructor, because he plans on retiring, and says he's getting too old. Cid told me later that if Matron doesn't become the new Headmaster, that I can be. It's a big responsibility, and I'm not sure I'm ready for it, but I'll have to see.  
  
Zell and Selphie becoming a couple six months ago has caused nothing but trouble for me. Zell never did pay much attention in class, and now I always catch him drawing cartoons of him and Selphie, and I've found some doodles the other day he drew of me. I gave him detention. Selphie tries to cause mischief when Zell gets into trouble so she can have detention with him. I made sure that she gets a detention the next day. I really need to move Selphie away from Rinoa, too. I've gotten more notes passed between Selphie and Rinoa than paperwork I've been asked to complete by the students. Maybe that's saying that I'm not giving enough work to my students.  
  
Fujjin is expecting a baby any day now. It turns out, at the last SeeD ball six months ago, she was three months pregnant. I thought she looked like she gained a bit of weight when she wore that dress, but I thought I was just going crazy. Nevertheless, she stays active and optimistic as ever. I'm afraid Seifer would be irresponsible and not care for the baby when it'll be born. Not that it wasn't irresponsible to.."fool around" before they were married anyways, but he's willing to take care of it and raise it. I don't think either of them are sorry that she's going to have it. They're probably sorry that they're not married before doing what they did, though, but that's their own problem.  
  
Laguna plans on coming in next week when we have the next "annual" SeeD ball. He's planning on retiring from being president of Esthar. He says it's too much for such a small man like he, but I think it's wonderful, the things he's done. Ellone showed up yesterday from the rumors of her uncle coming in the next week, and is so excited. She was glad to see Squall and all of us again, as well. Laguna says he's going to hand the job over to Ward. He still can't talk, because his throat was permanently injured, or so they say. Maybe with surgery, it could be fixed. Laguna plans on trying to find a surgeon who will look at Ward's throat soon. In the meantime, if Ward does become president, Kiros said he would be his assistant and translate any speech that needs to be said. I think Ward is very intelligent from his actions, because they speak louder then words. Of course, the whole reason Laguna is coming to Balamb is for the biggest news of all:  
  
Squall is going to propose to Rinoa next week at the ball! I'm such a loud mouth, I'm surprised I haven't blabed it out to Rinoa yet, but I definetly want to keep it secret. I'm so excited about it, I'm afraid she'll see how fidgetty I am and wonder what's wrong! Squall has been with her a year, now, and they got engaged six months ago when Rinoa returned from Esthar. He says he's afraid of losing her again, and that's why he proposed his engagement so early. Of course, Squall is so paranoid about everything, but especially concerning Rinoa, ever since she went missing.  
  
What I'm so sad about is that everyone (Squall, Rinoa, Selphie, Zell, Irvine, Seifer, Fujjin, and Rajjin) turned eighteen this last six months, and they must leave the garden after the annual SeeD ball. Another semester starts after the ball, and all students must officially leave the garden at eighteen. I might actually plan on quitting because it would be so boring without everyone here, and I would be alone. Would everyone stay here? I guess I'll to wait a little while and see.  
  
That's about all the news for now, except this marks one year after the Sorceress Battle. Oh, and speaking of sorceress, Rinoa's posession powers from Ultimacia's blood finally wore off, but not until three months ago. Otherwise, she learned how to control it to her own advantage. I was her guinea-pig the last day she had it. She thought about smacking me in the face with a pie at the Cafeteria, and well, you can guess the rest of what happened, but I wasn't going to let her get away with that and not give her detention, but of course, I made sure Selphie wasn't in there with her. Lord, I've given out more detentions to Zell, Selphie, and Rinoa this year than I have to Seifer. That's kind of scary.  
  
Well, I'll write back later. I'm expecting some big news next week, and I can't wait for the proposal!   
  
Quistis  
  
(The epilouge will be named "Growing Pains" so read it kay? Kay Oo!) 


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